My hope is to honor God with every brushstroke… to bring light to the world by expressing my Joy in The Light OF the World.

THRIVE!

Great things about vacation… No schedule, no makeup, good food, dress down comfy clothes, sleep late. I’m pretty sure that list could be endless, but I’m still up early! Though I did sleep a little later, I’m the only one awake at the B&B in these beautiful surroundings. I can’t help it. I can’t miss my morning appointment with God… He waits for me.

I love these quiet hours in the morning before anybody else is stirring. I get to have time alone with God and His Word… Time to dig deep into the scripture… Time to listen to what He has to say to me. And time for God to mold me and make me into someone useful for the work He has planned for me to do. It’s refreshing to me… Like a little mini vacation! I leave my studio ready to face whatever comes today.

As I write this, Casting Crowns is singing through my head…

Just to know You and to make You known
We lift Your name on high
Shine like the sun, make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives
It’s time for us to more than just survive
We were made to Thrive

“To know You and to make You known.” How can I know God if I don’t spend time with Him? And how can I make Him known to others if I don’t know Him myself? For me, that means keeping these early morning appointments with God. It means digging into the Word with Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, and so many others with my precious friends in Bible study.

For me, it means doing more than just surviving each day. Casting Crowns has it right when they sing that we were made to THRIVE! Because others are watching, do we want to show them that we are merely surviving? Or that we are thriving??